Computer Desk

ABSTRACT

A computer desk includes legs, an upper plate having a rectangular recessed portion supported by the legs, a power supply socket and a network connector exposed on the legs or on the upper plate, a drawer or a shelf attached to the upper plate or to the legs for accommodating a computer main body, a flat monitor mounted in the rectangular recessed portion in the manner that it is folded down into the rectangular recessed portion when not used and that it is raised when used, electric connectors exposed at the upper plate for connecting one or more peripheral device, a cable conduit formed at the upper plate, and power supply lines and signal lines accommodated in the cable conduit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a computer desk, more particularly, toa computer desk with cables built in so that the cables are exposed to aminimum.

BACKGROUND ART

Desks are considered as essential furniture for productive activities atcompanies and for private studies at home. A desk has been heavilystudied in view point of structure and design, but there are nodesirable ways to accommodate neatly all the cables connected to acomputer and to the peripheral devices thereof when the computer ismounted on a desk for studies and for work. A desk with a computermounted on is usually cluttered with the cables. Binding several cablestogether with plastic ties or wrapping materials in traditional ways asfor common electric appliances cannot essentially solve the problem ofcable exposures and is not proper for a computer desk wherein each cablehas different connection points.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-25242discloses a computer desk that accommodates a server computer, an LCDmonitor and a keyboard. The computer desk exposes small portions ofcables, but its use is limited.

Korean Utility Model Registration No. 320609 discloses a computer systemconsisting of components of a computer distributed in several drawers.However, this structure is not applicable since a computer system hasbeen more integrated and the size of the total system has been reducedwith the development of technology. In addition, Japanese UnexaminedPatent Application Publication No. 11-216024 discloses a structure inwhich a computer main component is stored within a drawer and a monitoris connected by VGA cable through the rear part of the drawer. However,this structure has only simple effect that the computer main componentis accommodated in a drawer.

As described above, the related art has been proposed to arrange thecables between a computer main component and the peripheral devicesthereof around a computer desk, but does not disclose a method ofarranging the cables that is applicable to various peripheral devicesand use environments.

Hereinafter, a computer main component means a device containing atleast a mainboard, ram and cpu. It also means a main component of adesktop, a main component of a workstation, a laptop or a notebookitself, even a pda and a smart mobile phone.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

An object of the present invention is to provide a computer desk onwhich a computer main component and peripheral devices including amonitor can be easily mounted with concealing almost all of the cablesfor electric connection.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer deskthat well accommodates a computer main component and peripheral devices,thereby increasing the surface room of the desk.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a computerdesk capable of reducing power consumption by easily turning on or offpower for a computer system.

Technical Solution

According to an aspect of the present invention, the present inventionprovides a computer desk comprising; legs, an upper plate having arectangular recessed portion supported by the legs, and a flat monitormounted in the rectangular recessed portion in the manner that it isfolded down into the rectangular recessed portion when not used and thatit is raised when used.

According to another aspect of the invention, the present inventionprovides a computer desk comprising; legs, an upper plate having arectangular recessed portion supported by the legs, a power supplysocket and a network connector exposed on the legs or on the upperplate, a drawer or a shelf attached to the upper plate or to the legsfor accommodating a computer main body, a flat monitor mounted in therectangular recessed portion in the manner that it is folded down intothe rectangular recessed portion when not used and that it is raisedwhen used, electric connectors exposed at the upper plate for connectingone or more peripheral device, a cable conduit formed at the upperplate, and power supply lines and signal lines accommodated in the cableconduit.

According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided acomputer desk comprising; legs, an upper plate having a rectangularrecessed portion supported by the legs, a power supply socket and anetwork connector exposed on the legs or on the upper plate, a drawer ora shelf attached to the upper plate or to the legs, a computer maincomponent mounted in the drawer or the shelf, an electric connector formonitor that is provided on the upper plate, connectors for one or moreperipheral devices except for the computer main component and themonitor, a cable conduit that accommodates power supply lines and signallines among the computer main component, the monitor and the peripheraldevices, and power supply lines and signal lines accommodated in thecable conduit.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided acomputer desk comprising; legs, an upper plate having a rectangularrecessed portion supported by the legs, a power supply socket and anetwork connector exposed on the legs or on the upper plate, a drawer ora shelf attached to the upper plate or to the legs to accommodate acomputer main component, electric connectors for monitor that isprovided on the upper plate, connectors for one or more peripheraldevices except for the computer main component and the monitor, a cableconduit that accommodates power supply lines and signal lines among thecomputer main component, the monitor and the peripheral devices, andpower supply lines and signal lines accommodated in the cable conduit.

The connectors for a peripheral device may be connected to theperipheral devices by wire or by wireless. A computer input device asperipheral devices including, for example, a keyboard and or a mouse isconnected to the computer main body through an input device connector.The computer desk may include, for a keyboard, a drawer or a shelfattached beneath the upper plate. The computer desk may further includea rectangular cover for the rectangular recessed portion. Therectangular cover may be hinged to a rear side of the rectangularrecessed portion. The rectangular cover may consist of a rear coverhinged to the rear side of the rectangular recessed portion and a frontcover hinged to the front side of the rectangular recessed portion. Inthis case, the front cover can cover the space between the raisedmonitor and the front side of the recessed portion of the upper platewhen the monitor is used, and thus the covered recessed portion of theupper plate can be used as a surface room of the desk.

The cable conduit for accommodating power supply lines and signal linesis formed at the upper plate by digging grooves or by attachingchannels. The computer desk may further include a junction box that isprovided at one side of the cable conduit to branch various lines. Apower supply that transforms a power supply voltage into voltagessuitable for the peripheral devices may be integrated in the junctionbox. The computer main component accommodated in the drawer may beconnected to the cable conduit or the junction box by a flexible cable.A separate power supply unit that supplies various voltages for thecomputer main component, the monitor and the peripheral devices may beconnected to the cable conduit.

The drawer or the shelf for the computer main component may be of simplerack type just for connecting the computer main component or be in theform of an extension station having one or more peripheral devices. Anextension station including a memory reader, various connectors andstorage drivers such as an optical disk driver may also be connected tothe computer main component. The extension station may be provided asmounted in a drawer separate from the drawer for the computer maincomponent, or be integrated into the computer main component.

The monitor is connected through the electric connectors for monitor.Desirably, a flat monitor is built into the desk wherein it is foldeddown into the rectangular recessed portion when not used and it israised from the rectangular recessed portion when used. When the monitoris folded down, the edge of the monitor may be sealed or a separaterectangular cover may cover the monitor as mentioned above. Like anotebook computer, the monitor can be automatically turned off when itis folded down into the recessed portion.

A computer input device as one of peripheral devices including, forexample, a keyboard and/or a mouse is connected to the computer maincomponent through an input device connector. The computer desk mayinclude, for a keyboard, a drawer or shelf attached beneath the upperplate.

The computer desk according to the present invention may furthercomprise a shelf or a deck for connecting a mobile personal computer tothe computer main component. A notebook computer or a mobile computerinserted into the shelf or the deck may be connected to the computermain component by an extension cable.

Various connectors may be additionally provided at various positions ofthe desk for connecting corresponding peripheral devices in addition tothe basic structure of the computer. For example, a printer connectormay be exposed at one side of the upper plate so that a printer may beconnected to it. In addition, a speaker, which is one of the peripheraldevices, may be built in the upper plate, or speaker input terminals maybe exposed on the upper plate for connecting a speaker. As peripheraldevices, a storage driver, memory readers, an optical disk driver, or afloppy disk driver may be built in the desk. In addition, I/O terminalsfor various peripherals may be provided and exposed on the desk. Theperipheral devices are connected by wire or by wireless. They also maybe connected, known in the related art, through USB ports to thecomputer main component. The peripheral devices may be connected to theconnectors by a wireless communication method instead of a wireconnection method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating characteristicsof a computer desk according to an exemplary embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the usage of an LCD monitor.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating opening and closing of akeyboard drawer.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a drawer for a computer maincomponent.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the closing position of arectangular cover for the LCD monitor.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the closed states of a frontcover and a rear cover for the LCD monitor.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating that the front cover is in anopened position while the LCD monitor is raised upright.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating that the front cover is in aclosed position while the LCD monitor is raised upright.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating characteristicsof a computer desk according to another exemplary embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a notebook computer that ismounted into a shelf for connecting it to an extension station includinga computer main component.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   10: computer desk-   20: shelf for receiving a notebook computer-   30: extension station in a drawer-   40: LCD monitor-   51: keyboard-   52: mouse-   64: front cover-   65: rear cover-   66: front cover switch-   80: cable conduit-   85: junction box-   100: a computer main component in a drawer

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but they should notbe construed to limit the scope of the present invention. Variousalternatives or modifications would be possible while they would bewithin the scope of the present invention.

FIGS. 1 to 4 are perspective views schematically illustratingcharacteristics of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Inthis embodiment, an LCD monitor 40 is hinged at the rectangular recessedportion to the upper plate 12 of a desk 10. When the LCD monitor 40 isnot used, it is folded down and accommodated into the rectangularrecessed portion of the upper plate 12 in order to utilize the surfacespace of the desk. Preferably, the monitor is sealed by a sealing liner42. A wireless keyboard 51 and a wireless mouse 52 as input devices,using infrared rays, communicate with an infrared receiver 55 exposedfrom a lower surface of the upper plate of the desk and connected to USBports of a computer main component 100 through an opening of the drawerwithout cables. Power lines and signal lines for the monitor 40, theinput devices including the keyboard and the mouse and a computer maincomponent 100 are accommodated in a cable conduit (80) and are connectedto a junction box 85. The cable conduit is made of channels insertedinto grooves beneath the upper plate. The computer main component 100and the peripheral devices may be turned on/off by folding down orraising the monitor 40 or by pushing in or pulling out the drawer 50 forthe keyboard 51 and the mouse 52. A power supply socket 81 and a networkconnector 82 are also connected to the junction box 85. The computermain component 100 is put in a drawer, and input/output signal lines ofthe computer main component 100 are connected to the junction box 85 bycables. The computer main component built in the drawer can be easilymoved out to upgrade parts and easily connected by rack and drawermethod.

With referring to FIGS. 5 through 8, the flat monitor 40 is hinged tothe upper plate at a rectangular recessed portion formed in the upperplate of the computer desk for accommodating a flat monitor 40. The flatmonitor 40 is folded down into the rectangular recessed portion when notused and is raised from the rectangular recessed portion when used.

The computer main component 100 is put in a drawer, and input/outputsignal lines of the computer main component 100 are connected to thejunction box 85 by cables. The computer main component built in thedrawer can be easily moved out to upgrade parts and easily connected byrack and drawer method.

The front and rear covers may be opened or closed by open/close switches62 and 66. In this case, the front cover 64 can cover the space betweenthe raised monitor 40 and the front side of the recessed portion of theupper plate when the monitor is used, and thus the covered recessedportion of the upper plate can be used as a surface room of the desk.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show another embodiment of the invention, in which theLCD monitor 40 and the computer input unit 50 including the keyboard 51and the mouse 52 are the same as those in FIG. 1. A notebook computer101 is mounted into a shelf 20 that is provided below the drawer for thecomputer main component. The notebook computer can be easily connectedto the computer main component by cable connectors 21. Variousperipheral devices including a memory reader, an optical disk driver,and a floppy disk driver are mounted on a drawer 30, serving as anextension station. A cable conduit 80 is provided in the upper plate 12in order to accommodate power lines and signal lines. A power supplysocket 81 and a network connector 82 are exposed from the inner surfaceof a desk leg 11, and connected to the drawer 30 for the computer maincomponent. A power line and a signal line are branched from the cableconduit 80 and then connected to a printer 60.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention provides a computer desk which can conceal almost allcables, to which a computer main component and peripheral devicesincluding a monitor can be easily mounted, and which can provide widespace for its original purpose when the computer is not used.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A computer desk comprising: legs; an upper platehaving a rectangular recessed portion supported by the legs; a powersupply socket and a network connector exposed on the legs or on theupper plate; a drawer or a shelf attached to the upper plate or to thelegs for accommodating a computer main body; a flat monitor mounted inthe rectangular recessed portion so that the flat monitor can be foldeddown into the rectangular recessed portion when it is not used and sothat the flat monitor can be raised when it is used; electric connectorsexposed at the upper plate for connecting one or more peripheraldevices; a cable conduit formed at the upper plate; and power supplylines and signal lines accommodated in the cable conduit.
 22. Thecomputer desk according to claim 21, wherein the peripheral deviceconnectors are connected to the peripheral devices wirelessly or bywired connection.
 23. The computer desk according to claim 21, furthercomprising: a rectangular cover, wherein the rectangular cover coversthe rectangular recessed portion when the monitor is folded down intothe rectangular recessed portion.
 24. The computer desk according toclaim 23, wherein the rectangular cover is hinged to the upper platecorresponding to a rear side of the rectangular recessed portion. 25.The computer desk according to claim 24, wherein the rectangular coverincludes: a front cover that is hinged to the upper plate at the frontside of the rectangular recessed portion; and a rear cover that ishinged to the upper plate at the rear side of the rectangular recessedportion.
 26. A computer desk comprising: legs; an upper plate having arectangular recessed portion supported by the legs; a power supplysocket and a network connector exposed on the legs or on the upperplate; a drawer or a shelf attached to the upper plate or to the legs; acomputer main component mounted in the drawer or the shelf; an electricconnector for a monitor that is provided on the upper plate; connectorsfor one or more peripheral devices except for the computer maincomponent and the monitor; a cable conduit that accommodates powersupply lines and signal lines among the computer main component, themonitor, and the peripheral devices; and power supply lines and signallines accommodated in the cable conduit. lines.
 27. The computer deskaccording to claim 26, further comprising: a junction box provided onone side of the cable conduit for branching various lines.
 28. Thecomputer desk according to claim 27, further comprising a power supplythat transforms a power supply voltage into voltages used for theperipheral devices.
 29. The computer desk according to claim 28, whereinthe computer main component put in the drawer is connected to the cableconduit or the junction box by a flexible cable.
 30. A computer deskcomprising: legs; an upper plate having a rectangular recessed portionsupported by the legs; a power supply socket and a network connectorexposed on the legs or on the upper plate; a shelf or a drawer attachedto the upper plate or to the legs to accommodate a computer maincomponent; electric connectors for a monitor provided on the upperplate; connectors for one or more peripheral devices except for thecomputer main component and the monitor; a cable conduit thataccommodates power supply lines and signal lines among the computer maincomponent, the monitor, and the peripheral devices; and power supplylines and signal lines accommodated in the cable conduit.
 31. Thecomputer desk according to claim 30, further comprising: a shelf or adeck for connecting a mobile personal computer to the computer maincomponent.
 32. The computer desk according to claim 31, wherein thecomputer main component includes a power supply.
 33. The computer deskaccording to claim 32, wherein the computer main component is providedwith a memory reader, an optical disk driver, or a floppy disk drive.34. The computer desk according to claim 33, wherein a notebook computeror a mobile computer inserted into the shelf or the deck is connected tothe computer main component by an extension cable.
 35. The computer deskaccording to claim 26, wherein the monitor is a flat-screen monitor thatis connected to the electric connectors.
 36. The computer desk accordingto claim 35, wherein the peripheral devices are in wirelesscommunication with the computer main component.
 37. The computer deskaccording to claim 36, wherein the peripheral devices are a keyboard anda mouse.
 38. The computer desk according to claim 37, wherein thekeyboard and the mouse communicate with the computer main componentthrough an infrared receiver using infrared rays.
 39. The computer deskaccording to claim 38, wherein a printer connector is exposed at oneside of the upper plate.